If your child has shown an interest in playing a musical instrument and he has chosen the guitar, they have made an excellent choice. Here are some things that you can do to help them be successful.

Commitment is Important - Does your child understand that they will have to be committed to practice time in order to do well on the guitar? 

• Consider sitting down with your child to set up a practice schedule. Even ten minutes a day will be better than thirty minutes every now and then. 
• One fun idea is to pay them for each successful practice session. Of course, you could use money, but there are other great incentives, too. You could offer points that they can accumulate to buy something special they have been wanting.
• Set aside a time when they can play their latest song in front of the entire family. This will be a great motivator for them to prepare themselves.
• If your child will be teaching themselves how to play the guitar, buy a how-to book. Offer them a certain amount of money for each song they learn how to play.
• Make it a family affair! Your child will probably have even more fun if they have company. 

Selecting the Instrument - If you are not an expert on choosing a guitar, consider asking somebody to help.

• Will your child be taking lessons? If so, then their teacher would be a great resource for you. Consider taking the instructor with you to shop.
• If you're not ready to buy a guitar, consider renting one until you see that your child is going to follow through on playing.
• When you are sure that your child is committed, consider asking them to participate in the cost as well as the selection. If cash is limited, consider shopping at a pawn shop (such as Danny's Pawn Shop). You'll be surprised at the selections you might find! Pawn shops of today are not like the scary ones you might have seen in movies. Instead, you'll feel very safe and the clerks will be very helpful.
• Encourage your child to listen to great guitar music. Pawn shops usually also carry a great selection of vinyl records. It would be advantageous for you to find records of great guitar players like Roy Clark, Billie Joe Armstrong, Peter Asher, Chet Atkins and others.
• While you're at it, look for a turntable at the pawn shop, too. 

Congratulations on making your child's dream come true.